Northwest Territories Farms: Agriculture History, How Farms Make Money and Strategy
Guide updated November 2026
Northwest Territories farms make up one of the smallest commercial agriculture sectors in Canada. Statistics Canada's 2021 Census of Agriculture counted 96 farms in Yukon and the Northwest Territories combined, and just 8 of them were in the NWT. What the territory has instead is a growing mix of egg production, market gardens, greenhouses, community gardens and wild harvesting, centered on the Hay River area.
| Farms and land in farms | 8 census farms in the NWT in 2021 (96 for Yukon and the NWT combined, averaging 171.6 acres); NWT holds under 1 percent of the combined farm area |
|---|---|
| Top commodities | Eggs, market-garden vegetables, greenhouse crops, potatoes; wild edibles such as morels and birch syrup |
| Farm revenue | Poultry and egg farms produced 57.7 percent of the 2020 farm operating revenues of the two territories, which totalled $12.4 million combined |
| Territorial agriculture department | Agriculture and Fisheries, Industry, Tourism and Investment (GNWT) |
| Federal partner | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, through the Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Partnership |
| Community food assets | 32 community gardens and 25 community greenhouses (GNWT sector profile) |
Agriculture in Northwest Territories: A Short History
Farming in the Northwest Territories began as subsistence gardening at missions and trading posts, and it has always been secondary to hunting, fishing and trapping. The land base makes the reason plain: the Statistics Canada 2021 report on Yukon and the NWT attributes the small average farm size partly to the large share of land that is unsuitable for farming or grazing. The best-known farming areas are in the south, around Hay River and the Great Slave Lake shoreline, and in pockets of the Dehcho and Sahtu regions.
Modern policy is recent. The GNWT introduced its first commercial agriculture strategy, The Business of Food: A Food Production Plan 2017-2022, in spring 2017, with the aim of shifting from community-scale to commercial production. The government describes agriculture as a small but emerging economic sector, and the territory's own profile says it is not a significant contributor to GDP. At the same time, Cabin Radio reported in 2021 that local producers saw the territory moving toward a real sector instead of isolated projects.
How Farms in Northwest Territories Make Money
Eggs lead commercial sales
Eggs are the only commodity with real scale. Statistics Canada reports that poultry and egg farms made up 57.7 percent of the 2020 operating revenues of Yukon and NWT farms, and the GNWT names Polar Egg of Hay River as the largest commercial egg operation, with a territorial quota of 3,083,608 dozen eggs. Expansion of the Hay River egg barn and grading plant, partly financed by a CanNor loan, has been the largest recent farm investment in the territory.
Vegetables, greenhouses and potatoes
Market gardens such as Riverside Growers and Greenwood Gardens in Hay River sell greens, herbs, tomatoes and cucumbers to grocers, restaurants and farmers markets. The GNWT also notes the territory's largest potato operation in Norman Wells, which produced more than 30,000 pounds a year at its peak, and Dehcho Gardens, which expanded to ten acres with u-pick.
Direct sales, wild harvest and training
Direct sales matter in a tiny market: Statistics Canada found 65.6 percent of Yukon and NWT farms reported direct sales in 2020. The Yellowknife Farmers Market averaged about $20,000 in weekly sales in 2015, according to the GNWT, and wild edibles such as morels and birch syrup are an emerging line. The Northern Farm Training Institute in Hay River runs pilot projects on a 260-acre campus.
Agriculture Strategy for Northwest Territories Farms
Soils, water and climate
Growing seasons are short, summer days are very long, and much of the land is not suitable for crops or grazing, so site selection matters more than acreage. Greenhouses extend the season and protect tomatoes and cucumbers, while outdoor beds suit hardy greens, root vegetables and potatoes. Statistics Canada reported 76,007 square feet of greenhouse area across Yukon and the NWT in 2021, up 54.8 percent from 2016, which shows where growth is happening. Water access, soil building and winter heating costs deserve a plan before any capital is spent.
Production and risk
Pick products that are expensive to bring north and that spoil quickly: eggs, fresh greens and herbs, and seedlings. Consistency matters, because retailers need weekly volumes. Know the rules for your product: eggs sold in the territory must be graded, and the GNWT notes that the legislative and regulatory framework for agriculture is still being developed, so check requirements with the territorial agriculture office before building. Production risk is high, and a back-up plan for power, heat and water is basic.
Technology and inputs
Inputs travel far, so efficiency pays: energy-efficient greenhouses, supplemental lighting and heat recovery, and in some cases hydroponic container units like the one behind the Yellowknife Co-op, which produces 200 to 300 packages a week. The Inuvik Community Greenhouse has about 2,000 growing spaces for year-round greens. Researchers caution that equipment repairs can be slow when parts come from far away, so train local staff and stock critical spares.
Farm Business Strategy in Northwest Territories
Margins and markets
The NWT market is small and scattered, so margins come from freight avoided and freshness delivered rather than volume. Hay River growers sell into Hay River and Yellowknife grocers, distributors, restaurants and a brewery. A federal and territorial funding announcement in 2021 gave about $410,000 to three Hay River operations for grading, greenhouse expansion and processing, an example of programs funding efficiency rather than acreage.
Land, credit and succession
Land in the NWT is mostly Crown, Indigenous or commissioner's land, so tenure and access are central to any farm plan; confirm with the GNWT lands office and the relevant community. Financing options include territorial programs, Farm Credit Canada, CanNor and Indigenous economic development funds. With only about 15 NWT farm operators in the census and an average age of 51.7, succession planning, shared equipment and mentoring through the Northern Farm Training Institute are as important as capital.
Marketing and diversification
Local-food messaging works, especially when tied to grocers, school food programs and Food Day Canada events. Diversify across channels and seasons: seedlings in spring, vegetables in summer, preserved or processed products in winter, and agritourism or u-pick where the road network allows. Treat community gardens and greenhouses as partners and training grounds, not competition.
Farm Insight: Northwest Territories Trends to Watch
Watch three trends. Eggs and processing capacity are still the anchor, so expansion at Hay River will shape how much local product reaches NWT stores and schools. Greenhouse area is rising, which suggests more year-round greens as heating and lighting get cheaper to run. And the territory's strategy and Sustainable-CAP funding continue to favor food production close to northern consumers.
For anyone entering the sector, the honest message is that the NWT rewards small, well-targeted operations. With only eight census farms, even one new greenhouse or egg barn can change the local supply, but costs, short seasons and a small customer base mean each decision should be tested against a clear market first.
Farming above 60 degrees north has its own comic rhythm, from midsummer sun that barely sets to a winter that makes a greenhouse feel like a hot tub. At farm.FM we gather farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes from every corner of the continent, and the Hay River egg barns and Yellowknife basil growers deserve a special mention for doing the real work while we do the punchlines.
If the name is new to you, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site, with Tractor Tunes country music for farmers on the side. One of its regular writers keeps a whole archive of stories like that.
Elite Farms and Ranches in Northwest Territories
These 2 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.
Elite operations in Northwest Territories
- Polar EggElite operation. Hay River, Northwest Territories. Polar Egg of Hay River, NWT: the territory's largest commercial egg operation. History, hens, revenue streams, lessons for northern farms and contact notes.
- Riverside GrowersElite operation. Hay River, Northwest Territories. Riverside Growers of Hay River, NWT: a family greenhouse and market garden selling greens and herbs to Yellowknife grocers. History, revenue, lessons, contact.
Who to Contact in Northwest Territories: Agriculture Offices and Associations
- GNWT Agriculture and Fisheries - Territorial agriculture strategy, programs and office contact
- GNWT agriculture sector profile - Egg quota, community gardens and greenhouses, regional highlights
- Statistics Canada: Yukon and NWT farming - 2021 Census of Agriculture results for the territories
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - 2021 funding for three Hay River growers
- Cabin Radio on Hay River growers - Local coverage of the funding and the emerging NWT sector
- National Observer on northern hydroponics - Hydroponic greenhouses in Yellowknife and Inuvik and their limits
Northwest Territories Farming FAQ
How many farms are there in the Northwest Territories?
Statistics Canada's 2021 Census of Agriculture counted 8 farms in the NWT and 96 in Yukon and the NWT combined.
What is the biggest farm business in the NWT?
The GNWT names Polar Egg of Hay River as the largest commercial egg operation, with a territorial quota of 3,083,608 dozen eggs.
Which department supports NWT farmers?
Agriculture and Fisheries within the GNWT Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, working with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada under the Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Partnership.
Can you grow vegetables in the NWT?
Yes. Hay River growers sell greens and herbs to grocers and restaurants, and the territory has 25 community greenhouses and 32 community gardens.
Northwest Territories farms are small in number but real in impact, from the egg barns of Hay River to market gardens that supply Yellowknife kitchens. Read the profiles of Polar Egg and Riverside Growers below to see how the sector works on the ground, and contact the GNWT agriculture office before you plan a new operation.